What is the right method to give punishment to small children/ students? Should there be no punishment at all for kids? How do we correct them when they commit any mistake? As you know some children do not correct themselves unless some strict measures are taken. How to deal with them?
Mr.Sebastian K Mathew, teacher at Advanced Kids Academy, Zirapur, M.P. India.
Such questions do not have direct answer. It is a fact that punishment to a child is not acceptable in a civilised society. Before getting into details of the strict measures against erring children it is necessary to analyse the reasons for the need of such actions.
The purpose of punishment may be categorised into two.
The first reason is that the punishment is given to someone in order to prove that the person has committed some mistake and has done some damage to others in some way. Hence, he needs to suffer for that and may be made to realise how far it has affected others. The historic tit-for-tat or eye for an eye or tooth for a tooth policy was adopted with such a logic. In a better civilised society, wide range of questions are raised against such a policy and law makers constantly try to find a solution.
The second reason for meting out a punishment to any one is to make the person understand the mistake, weigh its after effects, regret for it and resolve not to repeat it.
Most often the one who gives punishment may not be fully justified to choose the method of punishment. It is more applicable in case of dealing with small children. Who are we to punish the children? The very word punishment is irrelevant to educational methods. So let us consider this action as corrective measures not punishment.
One of my mentors gave a thumb rule of admonishing the students. When we are very cross with the student/s for any mistake of theirs we should not be lost in ourselves. If a colleague or a student from another section approaches you at the heat of the moment how you reply may give you an indication of what attitude you possess. If you scowl at that person also because you are in a bad mood, it means that you are lost in your senses and it is an alarm for you. But if you can smile and talk normally with that person, then you are cool and your admonishing the student/s is justified.
Please remember that at times mental punishment is more harmful than corporal punishment. Never hurt the ego, sentiments and emotions of a child. You can point out how he will be a loser if he doesn't listen to you. Never talk about his family; compare him with others and use abusive and racial comments. A teacher has to maintain his decorum even when angry.
Another way to tackle this problem is that you are bound to be criticised by your students for your strict methods of teaching. But the student should not hate you. The seed of hatred should not be sown into their young minds. Though I do not approve of the extreme rash actions meted by some students in stray cases against the teachers, I reiterate that the teacher should always be aware of the students' mood and approach. Individual differences among the students must be taken into account when this corrective measure is taken. In the modern days you don't expect all the students of a peer group will have a similar bent of mind. I insist upon my teachers to consider giving different home work, work sheet, assignments and corrective measures for different students. In fact, the advanced system of education bases their method on this. In the name of projects and assignments, they inch towards this concept. IGCSE, Trinity and other famous systems set their curriculum on this principle.
To sum it up all, please use the corrective measures to achieve your target of helping the children. At times a gentle slap at the back and a jerk with a harsh look might help you reach your goal. Control yourself while children commit a mistake. In extreme cases take the child to the principal or any other teacher and consult. Your anger may come down and others could help put some seriousness into the child. Remember, schooling is a continuous process. If you cannot achieve your plan on a day, the same may be done on another day. So be patient and wait for the right time and occasion to the fruit to ripen. Don't shake the tree too much and make the tender and raw fruit fall down lest you will have to eat some sour and bitter fruit from your own tree.
All the best! Enjoy your job!
